Domestic appliance, especially a high fitment device comprising a wall mounting device

ABSTRACT

A wall mounting device for mounting a domestic appliance, such as a high fitted cooking device, on a substantially vertical kitchen wall. The wall mounting device includes a carrier element for mounting the domestic appliance in a reliable yet simple manner. The carrier element acts as a support for the domestic appliance.

The present invention relates to a domestic appliance, particularly a high fitted cooking appliance, with a wall mounting device for mounting the domestic appliance on a substantially vertical kitchen wall.

An overhead built-in cooking appliance is known from WO 98/04871. The overhead built-in cooking appliance has a cooking chamber surrounded by side walls, a front wall, a back wall and a top wall. The overhead built-in cooking appliance is fastened to a vertical wall. The cooking chamber opening at the bottom is closable by a lowerable bottom door.

The object of the present invention consists in providing a reliable and simple mounting of the domestic appliance on a vertical wall.

The object of the invention is fulfilled by a domestic appliance with the features of patent claim 1. According thereto, the wall mounting device for stable mounting of the domestic appliance on the wall comprises a carrier element supporting the domestic appliance.

It is of advantage if the carrier element of the wall mounting device is arranged, protected from view, within a housing of the domestic appliance. An additional installation space for the carrier element outside the housing of the domestic appliance is thus saved.

In an advantageous form of embodiment the carrier element of the wall mounting device can be formed by a number of frame strips. These extend along a rear wall of the housing. In order to ensure reliable support of the domestic appliance at the frame strips the frame strips can extend over substantially the entire height of the rear wall of the housing.

The carrier element is constructed to be particularly stiff in torsion when it is made as a circumferentially closed carrier frame. Such a torsionally stiff carrier frame is advantageous particularly in the case of an uneven vertical wall. The carrier frame is preferably integrally constructed from a die-casting. The die-casting is advantageous with respect to weight saving and to tool costs.

A further measure for a torsionally stiff carrier element can consist in constructing the frame strips of the carrier element to be U-shaped or meander-shaped in cross-section.

Due to the high weight of a domestic appliance equipped with food to be cooked a reliable support of the domestic appliance is important. A particularly good support of the domestic appliance is obtained when the frame strips of the carrier frame extend along the circumferential edges of the rear wall of the domestic appliance housing.

For acceptance of high bending forces the carrier element can have at least one pair of lateral frame strips at each side of the domestic appliance. In this case the housing of the domestic appliance can be mounted at the two outer frame strips. Further components provided within the housing, such as, for example, a muffle or a fan, can be mounted at the two inner frame strips.

Components provided within the housing can also be mounted at additional support brackets of the carrier element. Such additional support brackets can be mounted at the carrier element and extend away from the vertical kitchen wall.

Adjustment of the domestic appliance in depth of fitting direction or adjustment of the position of the domestic appliance in depth fitting direction is particularly important when the domestic appliance is to be aligned in a row with several items of equipment mounted at the vertical kitchen wall. For this purpose the carrier element can preferably be mounted by way of a tilt axis to be tiltable and the wall mounting device can have an adjusting element for adjusting a tilt angle of the carrier element.

The adjusting element can be constructed as a pivot lever. The pivot lever can be pivotably mounted at a pivot axis and engage the carrier element for the domestic appliance at a lever arm length spaced from the pivot axis. The tilt angle of the carrier element or the domestic appliance is thereby adjustable in dependence on the pivot setting of the pivot lever. Through suitable adaptation of the lever arm length at the pivot lever the tilt angle of the domestic appliance can be adjusted in a manner simple for a user.

It is preferred if a tilting moment in direction towards the tilted second end position is exerted on the carrier element by way of the intrinsic weight of the domestic appliance.

The carrier element can thereby always be urged, counter to the tilting moment, into contact with the pivot lever. The adjusting movement of the pivot lever on the carrier element is thus always exerted counter to the tilting moment.

According to an advantageous form of embodiment of the invention the pivot lever can engage the tiltable carrier element at a first point of action in order to exert the adjusting movement on the carrier element. The pivot lever can receive an actuating movement of the user at a second point of action. Through suitable adaptation of the lever arm length ratio associated with the points of action the tilt angle of the domestic appliance is adjustable in a manner simple for a user.

The actuating force, which is required from the user, for the pivot lever shall be kept as small as possible. It is therefore advantageous if the lever arm length associated with the first point of action is smaller than the lever arm length associated with the second point of action. As a result, notwithstanding a small actuating force of the user a sufficiently large actuating moment can be exerted on the pivot lever. It is of particular advantage if the second lever arm length is at least twice as large as the first lever arm length.

Advantageously the pivot lever can be mounted at one end at the pivot axis. Thus, the first and second points of action are disposed on the same pivot side of the pivot lever. The pivot lever is therefore arranged in the wall mounting device in a simple as well as space-saving manner.

It is of advantage if an additional movement transmission means engages the pivot lever, particularly at the second point of action of the pivot lever. An actuating movement of a user is converted into the pivot movement of the pivot lever by the movement transmission means. The actuating movement of the user can thus be exerted on the pivot lever independently, in terms of location, of the position of the pivot lever.

In an advantageous simple embodiment the movement transmission means can be constructed as a rigid transmission lever. This accepts the actuating movement of the user at its first lever end. An opposite, second lever end transmits the actuating movement to the pivot lever.

A linear stroke movement, preferably a vertical stroke movement, substantially parallel to the vertical wall is particularly favourable for the user in ergonomic terms. This vertical stroke movement can advantageously be taken up from the first lever end of the transmission lever by way of an adjusting screw adjustable by the user.

Advantageously the pivot lever and/or the transmission means for the pivot lever can be arranged within a housing of the domestic appliance. It is thus not necessary to provide an additional installation intermediate space for the pivot lever and/or for the transmission means between a housing rear wall and the vertical wall. In that case the housing can preferably have at least one access opening. The user exerts through this, from outside the housing, an actuating movement on the pivot lever and/or the transmission means of the pivot lever.

It is particularly advantageous if the wall mounting device comprises a mounting element which is mounted in stationary position at the wall and which provides the tilt axis for the carrier element. The mounting element is thus interposed between the carrier element and the vertical wall. The carrier element is therefore tiltable relative to the mounting element independently of the conditions at the wall.

In addition, the wall mounting device of the domestic appliance can comprise a vertical adjusting element which, for adjustment of the domestic appliance in height, exerts a vertical stroke on the carrier element thereof. Thus, outer furniture edges of the domestic appliance can be adjusted not only in depth of fitting direction, but also in a vertical direction.

It is particularly advantageous for the adjustment in height if the carrier element is vertically adjusted relative to the mounting element mounted in stationary position at the vertical wall. The vertical adjusting element is thereby supported—without, for example, having to be supported on the kitchen floor—between the mounting element and carrier element.

It is advantageous for a compact embodiment of the domestic appliance if the vertical adjusting apparatus is arranged within the housing and is accessible from outside by way of an access opening in the housing.

It is particularly favourable for the user in ergonomic terms if the access opening for the pivot lever and/or for the transmission means thereof as well as the access opening for the vertical adjusting element are arranged physically adjacent to one another in the housing, for example protected from view at a bottom housing wall facing the kitchen floor.

The invention is described in the following on the basis of the accompanying figures, in which:

FIG. 1 shows, in a perspective view, an overhead built-in cooking appliance mounted on a vertical wall;

FIG. 2 shows, in a perspective view, the overhead built-in cooking appliance from below;

FIG. 3 shows, in a perspective view, a wall mounting device of the overhead built-in cooking appliance;

FIG. 4 shows, in a perspective view, a carrier element of the wall mounting device;

FIG. 5 shows, in a perspective view, the carrier element combined with the mounting element;

FIG. 6 shows, in a perspective view, a pivot lever for adjusting a tilt angle of the carrier element;

FIG. 7 shows, in a perspective view, the carrier element in a first, not-tilted end position I in a side view; and

FIG. 8 shows a view corresponding with FIG. 7, in which the carrier element is shown in a second, tilted end position 11.

An overhead built-in cooking appliance with a housing 1 is shown in FIG. 1. A rear wall 2 of the housing 1 is mounted on a vertical kitchen wall 3 in the manner of a hanging cupboard. A cooking chamber 5, which can be checked by way of a viewing window 7 formed in the housing 1 at the front side is defined in the housing 1. The cooking chamber 5 is bounded by a muffle 9. This is surrounded by a thermally insulating casing (not illustrated). According to FIG. 2 the muffle 9 has a muffle opening 11 at the bottom. The muffle opening 11 is closable by a bottom door 13 shown in FIG. 1. The bottom door 13 is mounted at a stroke linkage 15 which is shown in FIG. 1 and which is actuable by an electric motor 16 arranged in the housing 1. In FIG. 1, the bottom door 13 is illustrated lowered. In that case the underside of the bottom door rests on a worktop 17 of kitchen equipment.

In FIG. 2 the underside of the overhead built-in cooking appliance is illustrated, for reasons of clarity, without the bottom door 13 as well as without the associated stroke linkage 15. It is apparent therefrom that the muffle opening 11 is framed by a muffle frame 19 with a bottom end face. Apart from passage openings 20 for the stroke linkage 15, two access openings 21 are formed in the bottom end face of the muffle frame 19. The access openings 21 allow a user to actuate, by means of a screwdriver, adjusting screws 25, 27 of a wall mounting device 23 arranged in the housing 1. The housing 1 can be adjusted in a depth of fitting direction B, which is indicated in FIG. 1, as well as in a vertical direction V relative to adjacent hanging cupboards by means of the wall mounting device 23.

The wall mounting device 23 is illustrated in FIG. 3 with omission of the housing 1. The adjusting screws 25, 27 arranged in pairs at both sides of the wall mounting device 23 are therefore recognisable. A carrier element 31 supporting the housing 1 can be adjusted in the depth of fitting direction B by actuation of the first adjusting screws 25. The carrier element 31 can be adjusted in the vertical direction V by actuation of the second adjusting screws 27.

Details of the wall mounting 23 are described in the following. According to FIG. 5 the wall mounting device 23 comprises, on the one hand, two stationary hanging rails 29. These are mounted on the kitchen wall 3 in stationary position to be vertically adjacent to one another in longitudinal direction. On the other hand, the wall mounting device 23 comprises the carrier element 31. According to FIG. 3, the carrier element 31 is mounted to be tiltable by way of a tilt axis K at the hanging rails 29 in the depth of fitting direction B, as later described.

The carrier element 31 without the hanging rails 29 is illustrated in FIG. 4. The carrier element 31 is constructed as a carrier frame. Each side of the carrier frame has a pair of vertically arranged side frame parts 33. These are constructed as U-shaped sheet metal profile members. The two pairs of side frame parts 33 are welded to an upper and a lower transverse frame part 35. The transverse frame parts 35 are constructed as sheet metal profile parts which are meander-shaped in cross-section. In FIG. 4, mounting sections 37 for suspension of support brackets 39 shown in FIG. 3 are constructed at the two inwardly arranged side frame parts 33. The support brackets 39 support the housing 1 of the overhead built-in cooking appliance together with the muffle 9, the electric motor 16 for the stroke linkage 15 and further functional parts of the cooking appliance.

As shown in FIG. 4, T-shaped cut-outs 41 are formed in the upper and lower transverse frame parts 35 between each pair of side frame parts 33. In correspondence with the T-shaped cut-outs 41 of the carrier frame 31, according to FIG. 5 the hanging rails 29 of U-profile shape are formed with side flanges 42. These project, according to FIG. 5, through the T-shaped cut-outs 41 of the carrier frame 31. The hanging rails 29 and the carrier frame 31 are arranged within the housing 1, which is indicated by dashed lines in FIG. 7. Consequently, the hanging rails 29 extend outwardly through housing openings in the rear wall 2 of the overhead built-in cooking appliance. The hanging rails 29 further have undercuts 43. By means of these the hanging rails 29 are, according to FIG. 7, suspended at a wall strip 45 of the vertical wall 3. Respective lateral support ribs 47 are formed at the lower end of the hanging rails 29. A lower flank of the lower transverse frame part 35 of the carrier frame 31 is seated, according to FIG. 5, on the support ribs 47 of the hanging rails 29. This is also evident from FIG. 7; the meander-shaped lower transverse frame part 35 of the carrier frame 31 is recognisable therein in cross-section. It is apparent that the lower side flank 49 of the transverse frame part 35 is seated on the support rib 47. It is further evident from FIG. 7 that the side flange 42 of the hanging rail 29 is mounted by way of a horizontal play a in the T-shaped cut-outs 41 of the upper and lower transverse frame parts 35. Opposite edges 55, 57 of the T-shaped cut-outs 41 of the carrier frame 31 thus form a first and a second end abutment. The carrier frame 31 is therefore adjustable between its two end abutments 55, 57 in the depth of fitting direction B of the overhead built-in cooking appliance. Accordingly, the carrier frame 31 is shown in FIG. 7 in a first, vertical end position I and in a second, tilted end position 11 in FIG. 8.

According to FIG. 7, the wall mounting 23 has a mount 61 in the lower region of each of the hanging rails 29. The mount 61, which is constructed as a sheet metal part, is formed with upper, bent-over clip sections 63. These engage behind the side flange 42 of the hanging rails 29. The clip sections 63 of the mount 61 thus mount the lower left end abutment 57 of the carrier frame 35 at the side flange 42 of the stationary hanging rail 29.

The carrier frame 31 is therefore adjustable merely in the upper T-shaped cut-out 41 by way of the play a relative to the hanging rails 29. There against, a horizontal tilt axis K is formed between the lower side flank 49 of the carrier frame 31 and the support ribs 47 of the hanging rails 29. The carrier frame 31 can tilt about the tilt axis K in the depth of fitting direction B. The carrier frame 31 is therefore tiltable about the tilt axis K relative to the stationary hanging rails 29 over a tilt angle between the upper first end abutment 55 and the upper second end abutment 57. A tilt moment M_(K) always acts on the carrier frame 31, in the arrow direction shown in FIG. 7, due to the intrinsic weight of the domestic appliance.

It is evident from FIG. 7 that a rod-like pull lever 67 is guided in the lower mount 61 to be adjustable in height. For this purpose a lower end 69 of the pull lever 67 is in engagement with a stroke plate 71 vertically guided in the mount 61. A height position of the stroke plate 71 is variable by the user via the first adjusting screw 25 mounted in the base of the mount 61. The stroke plate 71 is shown in a first, lowermost height position h₁ in FIG. 7. An upper end 73 of the pull lever 67 is constructed as a U-shaped hook in engagement with the pivot lever 75. As later described, the tilt angle of the carrier frame 31 is adjusted relative to the stationary hanging rails 29 by means of the pivot lever 75. According to FIG. 6 the pivot lever 75 is a plate-shaped sheet metal part in which a passage opening 77 is formed. The U-shaped hook 73 of the pull lever 67 is suspended in the passage opening 77. Opposite thereto the pivot lever 75 has a T-shaped cut-out with two mutually facing pin-like retaining projections 79. It is apparent from FIG. 7 that the retaining projection 79 of the pivot lever 75 is arranged between an upper and a lower meander section of the upper transverse frame part 35. At the same time, the retaining projection 79 of the pivot lever 75 engages behind the side flange 42 of the hanging rails 29. The pivot lever 75 is thus pivotably mounted at the side flanges 42 of the hanging rails 29 at a pivot axis S.

In FIG. 7 the pivot lever 75 is in contact at a first point 81 of action with a contact edge 82 of the transverse frame part 35 of the carrier frame 31. The first point 81 of action is spaced from the pivot axis S by way of a first lever arm length I₁. A second point 83 of action is formed between the U-shaped hook 73 of the pull lever 67 and the passage openings 77 of the pivot lever 75. The second point 83 of action is spaced from the pivot axis S by way of a second lever arm length I₂, which is approximately twice as large as the first lever arm length I₁. By virtue of the tilt moment M_(K) engaging the carrier frame 31 the contact edge 82 of the carrier frame 31 constantly presses the pivot lever 75 in clockwise sense. Thus, the pivot lever 75 constantly exerts an upwardly directed pulling force on the pull lever 67. Reliable engagement between the pull lever 67 and the pivot lever 75 is therefore ensured.

An adjusting process for adjusting the tilt angle of the carrier frame 31 with respect to the stationary hanging rails 29 is described in the following by reference to FIGS. 7 and 8. In FIG. 7 the carrier frame 31 is disposed in the first, vertical end position I. This means that the pivot lever 75 presses, by way of the contact edge 82 of the carrier frame 31, the upper, left-hand end abutments 57 of the carrier frame 31 against the side flange 42 of the stationary hanging rails 29. For tilting the carrier frame 31 in the depth of fitting direction B the user adjusts the setting screw 25 so that the stroke plate 71 in the mount 61 moves upwardly from the illustrated lowermost height position H₁. The linear stroke movement of the stroke plate 71 in upward direction is transmitted by way of the pull lever 67 to the pivot lever 75. The pivot lever 75 therefore pivots in clockwise sense in upward direction. The contact edge 82 of the carrier frame 31 thereby displaces along the pivot lever 75 to the left in FIG. 7. The carrier frame 31 therefore tilts forwardly through a defined tilt angle in the depth of fitting direction B. The carrier frame 31 is shown in its second, maximum tilted end position 11 in FIG. 8. In the second end position 11 the stroke plate 71 has been vertically adjusted by means of the adjusting screw 25 from the first height position h₁ from FIG. 7 into the second height position h₂. Accordingly, the right hand end abutments 55 of the carrier frame 31 are pressed, in FIG. 8, by the tilting moment M_(K) into contact with the side flanges 42 of the stationary hanging rails 29.

In addition, the wall mounting device 23 according to the invention comprises the already mentioned second adjusting screws 27. A vertical adjustment of the carrier frame 31 of the domestic appliance in height can be controlled by these. For this purpose, according to FIG. 3 the lower end of the hanging rails 29 is closed by a base plate 89. The second adjusting screw 27 is mounted in the base plate 89.

As shown in FIG. 8, the adjusting screw 27, which is illustrated in dashed lines, is brought into contact with the lower side flank 49 of the lower transverse frame profile member 35 of the carrier frame 31. The carrier frame 31 seated on the support ribs 47 is raised by the adjusting screw 27 through appropriate rotation of the adjusting screw 27. The carrier frame 31 thereby vertically adjusts relative to the stationary hanging rails 29.

The carrier frame 29 is illustrated in its lowermost height position in FIGS. 7 and 8. In this height position the lower side flank 49 of the carrier frame 31 lies, as described above, on the support ribs 47. The carrier frame 31 is adjusted vertically upwardly through corresponding rotation of the second adjusting screw 27. The lower side flank 49 of the carrier frame 31 thereby detaches from the support ribs 47 of the hanging rails 29. In this case the tilt axis K of the carrier frame 31 is no longer disposed between the lower side flank 49 and the support rib 47, but is disposed between the adjusting screw 27 and the lower side flank 49 of the carrier frame 47. 

1-29. (canceled)
 30. A domestic appliance, particularly a high fitted cooking appliance, including a housing, comprising: a wall mounting device for mounting the domestic appliance on a substantially vertical wall; and said wall mounting device including a carrier element for supporting the domestic appliance.
 31. The domestic appliance according to claim 30, including said carrier element of said wall mounting device is arranged within the housing of said domestic appliance.
 32. The domestic appliance according to claim 31, including said carrier element of said wall mounting device is formed by a plurality of frame strips.
 33. The domestic according to claim 32, including said carrier element of said wall mounting device is constructed as a circumferentially closed carrier frame.
 34. The domestic appliance according claim 33, including said frame strips of said carrier frame follow the circumferential sides of the rear wall of said housing.
 35. The domestic appliance according to claim 30, including said carrier element has at least one pair of lateral frame strips at each side of said domestic appliance.
 36. The domestic appliance according to claim 32, including said frame strips are formed to have a meander-shaped cross-section.
 37. The domestic appliance according to claim 30, including at least one support bracket, which supports at least one of the housing or further components, mounted at said carrier element.
 38. The domestic appliance according to claim 30, including said wall mounting device including an adjusting element for adjustment of a position of the domestic appliance in a depth of fitting direction (B).
 39. The domestic appliance according to claim 38, including said carrier element is mounted to be tiltable by way of a tilt axis (K) and that said adjusting element adjusts a tilt angle of said carrier element.
 40. The domestic appliance according to claim 39, including said adjusting element is a pivot lever pivotably mounted at a pivot axis (S) and which adjusts said tilt angle of said carrier element dependent on the pivot setting of said pivot lever.
 41. The domestic appliance according to claim 40, including said pivot lever is connected to said carrier element at a lever arm length spaced from said pivot axis (S).
 42. The domestic appliance according to claim 39, including a tilting moment (Mk) is exerted on said carrier element due to the intrinsic weight of said domestic appliance and that said adjusting element exerts an adjusting movement on said carrier element counter said tilting moment (Mk).
 43. The domestic appliance to claim 40, including said pivot lever for exertion of the adjusting movement connected to said carrier element at a first point of action and that said pivot lever receives an actuating movement of the user at a second point of action.
 44. The domestic appliance according to claim 43, including the lever arm length associated with said first point of action is smaller than the lever arm length associated with said second point of action.
 45. The domestic appliance according to claim 40, including said pivot lever mounted at one end at said pivot axis (S).
 46. The domestic appliance according to claim 39, including said adjusting element connected to a movement transmissions means which at a physical spacing from said adjusting element transmits an actuating movement of a user to said adjusting element.
 47. The domestic appliance according to claim 46, including said movement transmission means formed by a rigid transmission lever.
 48. The domestic appliance according to claim 47, including said transmission lever including a first lever end for receiving the actuating movement of the user and a second lever end connected with said adjusting element.
 49. The domestic appliance according to claim 48, including said actuating movement exerted by the user on said movement transmission means is a linear substantially vertical stroke movement, substantially parallel to said wall.
 50. The domestic appliance according to claim 49, including said linear actuating movement is exerted on said first lever end of said transmission lever by way of an adjusting screw adjustable by the user.
 51. The domestic appliance according to claim 46, including at least one of said adjusting element or said movement transmission means for said adjusting element arranged within the housing of said domestic appliance.
 52. The domestic appliance to claim 51, including said housing including at least one access opening for access to said movement transmission means from outside of said housing.
 53. The domestic appliance according to claim 40, including said wall mounting device including at least one mounting element mounted in a stationary position on said wall and on which said carrier element is tiltably mounted.
 54. The domestic appliance according to claim 53, including said pivot lever pivotably mounted on said mounting element.
 55. The domestic appliance according to claim 53, including said wall mounting device additionally including a vertical adjusting element exerting a vertical stroke on said carrier element for adjustment of said domestic appliance in height on said wall.
 56. The domestic appliance according to claim 55, including said vertical adjusting element vertically adjusts said carrier element relative to said stationary mounting element.
 57. The domestic appliance according to claim 55, including said vertical adjusting element arranged within the housing of said domestic appliance accessible from outside said housing by way of at least one access opening in said housing.
 58. The domestic appliance according to any one of claim 57, including said access opening for said movement transmission means and said access opening for said vertical adjusting element are arranged physically adjacent to one another in said housing. 